More than 40 Saint Barnabas High School (SBHS) seniors began May 31 with a beautiful Baccalaureate Mass celebrated by Bishop Joseph Espaillat.
As part of his homily to the Class of 2024, Bishop Espaillat advised everyone in attendance “to be charitable, to be hospitable, and know that you are loved.”
Following Mass, the official graduation ceremony began with family, friends, faculty, administration, and members of the Board of Trustees in attendance. Bishop Espaillat gave a heartfelt blessing to the assembly, followed by the “Star Spangled Banner” sung by Mia Hernandez ’24, and accompanied by pianists Gabrielle Cruz ’25 and Anqi Lu ’26.
Guest speaker, the Hon. Edit Shkreli (‘02), provided a touching account of her coming to the U.S., fleeing war-torn Albania. She pointed out the faculty’s dedication to teaching her English before school opened and credited their help in reaching her aspiration of becoming a lawyer and the first Albanian to serve as a New York City judge. She advised the 43 graduates to always be true to themselves and urged them to follow their dreams.
Interim Principal Dr. Carmen Lopez also wished them well. She thanked the parents, faculty, and staff for their unwavering commitment. She pointed out that each graduate is a part of the rich tapestry of the history of Saint Barnabas High School and that all were filled with a sense of pride as they left Saint Barnabas with the knowledge they had gained.
Salutatorian Molly Sherlock then gave a heartfelt speech about her family’s sacrifice so that she could attend Saint Barnabas. She talked about her friendship, sisterhood, and academics at Saint Barnabas. Special honors and awards were distributed to outstanding individuals for their achievements. Then came the moment when all received their diplomas, culminating four years of academics. Each student joyfully presented their mom or guardian with a yellow rose in thanks for all that they contributed toward this day.
Valedictorian Melisa Bujaj’s farewell speech reflected on what Saint Barnabas has meant to her personally. Melisa also thanked the donors, alumnae, and faculty who have played a role in supporting scholarships for many of the students. She also recognized that it was a special year for the Class of 2024 to be part of the history of Saint Barnabas High School as it celebrates 100 years of educating young women. She then asked all her classmates to stand and turn their tassels, officially beginning the next chapter in their journey.
The Class of 2024 amassed over $11.6 million in scholarships and grants. They were accepted into colleges and universities from Pennsylvania State University to Fordham University, and to a variety of state universities among others.
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